How Syreeta Thompson Became New York’s Trumpet Lady

What does it take to be heard—and lead boldly—in a world that hasn’t always made space for women instrumentalists?

In this episode of She Creates Noise, Sarah sits down with Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Syreeta Thompson, known as “New York’s Trumpet Lady,” to talk about the determination, discipline, and confidence that built her remarkable career.

From her Chicago roots to stages across New York and beyond, Syreeta shares how a childhood surrounded by jazz, soul, and church music shaped her path. Though she began on clarinet, she quickly found her true voice through the trumpet. “It was the loudest instrument in the band,” she says with a laugh. “I wanted to be heard.”

 Syreeta’s story begins with her name itself – named after Syreeta Wright, Stevie Wonder's wife – setting the stage for a life immersed in music.
 This conversation brilliantly illuminates the dedication behind musical mastery. Under the mentorship of Bill Fielder (who also taught Wynton Marsalis), Syreeta spent two years focusing solely on proper breathing techniques before playing a single note on her trumpet. This foundation-building approach, combined with her experiences playing in Pentecostal churches, created her signature sound – a distinctive fusion of jazz sophistication, classical technique, and gospel soul that has topped both jazz and gospel charts simultaneously.
 
 Beyond her musical achievements, Syreeta’s advocacy for women in music stands tall. Her custom trumpet, encrusted with over 10,000 Swarovski crystals, isn't just an instrument but a statement piece reflecting her bold artistic vision. Her upcoming documentary "Blow Yo Horn: Making Music in a Man's World" aims to amplify female instrumentalists who haven't received proper recognition. As an educator partnered with Berklee and Juilliard, she instills her "winner mindset" in the next generation: "If you don't see yourself as a winner, who else will?"
 
 Discover Syreeta’s projects, including her new single "With You I'm Born Again" featuring Tony Lindsey from Santana, plus performances at Lincoln Center and in Los Angeles. Subscribe now to hear more stories of women reshaping the music industry landscape through creativity, persistence, and unapologetic authenticity. 

https://www.instagram.com/trumpetladyt/?hl=en

https://ladytrumpet.org/support-our-partners-with-a-donation

https://open.spotify.com/album/04S6nb2XhHJUyCg8O9XH2R?si=ADVQO8KWTxO3VRcs4y4_GQ

Transcript

Welcome to She Creates Noise

Speaker 3 0:24

Hi , you're listening to Sarah Nagourney and welcome to . She Creates Noise , a new podcast spotlighting women who power the music industry , coming to you from New York City . Now , if you don't know me yet , here's a little background . I'm a songwriter , producer , manager , educator and mentor . I've written platinum selling songs , had tracks on Grammy nominated educator and mentor . I've written platinum-selling songs , had tracks on Grammy-nominated records and released music on both major and independent labels . I've been a jazz singer , a jingle singer , toured with big bands and became a pop artist , and I've performed at festivals across the US , europe and Asia .

Speaker 3 1:00

These days , I focus on writing with and developing young talent . In the coming weeks , I'll be pulling back the curtain on the music industry's female changemakers . Some are close friends , others I'm just getting to know , but all have reshaped the business in profound ways . My goal here is to help listeners better understand how the music business really works and just how instrumental women behind the scenes have been . You'll hear from both sides of the desk artists , producers , managers , label executives , lawyers . Women making things happen , often without the spotlight on them . Thank you for joining me on this journey . Now let's dive in . Thank you for joining me on this journey .

Speaker 3 1:48

Now let's dive in .

Meet Syreeta Thompson: Trumpet Lady

Speaker 3 1:53

Today's guest is Syrita Thompson , known as New York's Trumpet . Lady Syrita Thompson is a Grammy Award winning artist , billboard chart topper and master brass specialist who's redefining what it means to be a woman in music . Hailing from Chicago , syrita's roots span gospel , jazz and classical , and her command of instruments goes far beyond the trumpet . She also plays upright bass , drums , piano and trombone with equal fluency , and she's a close friend and cohort of Wynton Marsalis . Her albums Winner and Evolution of a Winner debuted at number one on both the gospel and jazz charts , and her performance are bold as her bedazzled trumpet Covered in over 10,000 Swarovski crystals . Her fifth studio album , taking it Back , dropped in the fall of 2024 .

Speaker 3 2:33

Beyond the stage , sarita is a dedicated educator and advocate . She's written over 26 music education curriculums . She serves as a master music educator with the New Jersey Education Association and works in partnership with both Berklee College of Music and Juilliard to expand access and opportunity for young musicians . Her upcoming documentary Blow your Horn Making Music in a Man's World aims to amplify the voices of female instrumentalists , producers and songwriters who haven't yet gotten their due instrumentalists , producers and songwriters who haven't yet gotten their due . Sarita Thompson is not just a performer . She's a leader , a mentor and a movement . Please welcome her here to the podcast Today .

Speaker 3 3:19

I'm so glad to have Sarita Thompson here . We're going to be talking about her amazing journey and all the incredible interesting things that she has done , and I kind of want to turn it over to Sarita to tell us about growing up in Chicago . I was wondering what first drew you to trumpet and how did your family , education and early influences shape your path in what's often considered a male-dominated space ?

Finding Her Instrument in Chicago

Speaker 2 3:46

considered a male-dominated space . Well , first , starting just with my name alone being named after a very famous singer , sarita Wright , who was the wife of Stevie Wonder , the famous Stevie Wonder , sarita Wright . My dad was a music enthusiast and he absolutely loved her music and at the time he and my mom , they couldn't figure out what to name me . And so he loved her music and he said , well , why not Sarita ? And that's how I , just so it came from birth , you know . And so I grew up in a somewhat musical family , not directly from my . My dad loved jazz . He was , he loved jazz . He loved Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers , he loved straight ahead jazz . And then he also just loved music , like the like I was saying , the 60s and 70s Temptations , that whole era . My mother is a huge Marvin Gaye fan and so growing up in that household I would say even at a toddler musical was always around me , so I couldn't escape it .

Speaker 2 4:50

And then , when I went to school to and you know , every kid has to pick out an instrument to play , and so I first started out on the clarinet and that was a huge disaster because I couldn't get across the break on the keys and so and you have to buy these reeds to go on the mouthpiece . You know , every so often Of course I was breaking all of the reeds , because breaking all the reeds and so I had to find an instrument that kind of fit me . And the trumpet was kind of hard but it was the loudest instrument in the band and I was like , oh , I think I can do this . You want to be heard ? I want to be heard . I mean , who can hear someone on a clarinet , you know ? And so I said , ok , I think I can do this . It was a little tough .

Speaker 2 5:43

So I started , definitely in middle school , in the seventh grade , I started in the school band playing . I think I was in my fact I was the last chair , because when you're in middle school playing , you know you have to be first trumpet , second trumpet , third or fourth trumpet , and I was like fourth trumpet because I wasn't that good . It was , you know . And so my mom had got really tired of me from the clarinet and all of those challenges , and so she said now , look , listen here , I'm not going to keep on buying these instruments . You're going to have to find an instrument to play and if you're serious about it , you're going to have to take it to church and play . And I'm like , ok , you know , now , I didn't know anything about playing a trumpet in church , I didn't even know any notes on the instrument , and they would do something like a praise dance and I only knew one note and I would go , I would just be making up some . So what they was doing , I mean it was , it was definitely catastrophic .

Speaker 2 6:43

And then so , and that was actually eighth grade to ninth grade , and so I went to a performing arts school and before I even took any trumpet lessons , I had to take my trumpet to church every Tuesday night for Bible study and on Sundays for church . And I was sitting in the corner playing my trumpet in church with the organist and the drummer and then adding a school band . And you know , and at the time you really don't know what you're doing , you know , you just , I was just , you know , trying to be creative , but I stopped finding that I had a love for it and I was somewhat good at it and I was like , oh , if I do this , I can get better at it . And then , you know , once you start performing in the school bands and going to concerts , you start becoming more interested in it . And what is it that you do ? And so , from there , I started studying private lessons with a trumpet player named Rob Magaha , who taught at at the show conservatory of music , and then I studied privately with Mr Vincent Chickawith of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra , and so studying with them gave me more of the technique side of playing .

Speaker 2 7:56

Playing in church it was more the jazz training , playing by ear . But playing , you know , because you have to have both , and at the time I didn't want both , I only wanted one side . But I didn't know you , because you have to have both , and at the time I didn't want both , I only wanted one side . But I didn't know you need one to get the other side . So I had to learn all my skills , which I just did not want .

Speaker 2 8:14

To learn all my skills , that meant practicing right , because I wanted to do the music I wanted to do without practicing and having to put the time in . So , but I had to figure it out that this is what it's going to take to get to that . So I had to buckle down for some years and learn all of my scales , all 12 of my major scales , my minor scales , things of that nature and then during that time I was still playing at church and then I would go sit in at the Art Institute in Chicago and they would let me sit in . I would just come down there on a Tuesday night and I would sit in playing the blues . I didn't know what I was playing , but they was always so cheerful , they just loved everything I was doing . So I ended up doing

Mastering the Craft and Technique

Speaker 2 8:56

it and then , from the rest is history .

Speaker 2 8:58

I went to Southern University and studied with Alvin Batiste and then I came up to Rutgers , new Brunswick , and I studied with Bill Fiel who taught Terrence Blanchard and Wynton Marcellus . He's who , like , really honed me in on enhancing my technique and actually he took me back from learning scales . I had to really redo my technique of airflow and the basics and the real fundamentals of playing the instrument and learning the instrument . If that makes sense , yeah . So like , for example , for a whole semester we never played a note . All I did was blue and a spirometer to build my strength . And then the air . And then the second semester we played in the mouthpiece . I didn't touch the trumpet until the second year with Bill Fielder , and we still never played any concertos . We worked on the technique of airflow for two years straight . That's amazing .

Speaker 3 9:56

Well , it paid off . We wanted you to do it the right way .

Speaker 2 9:59

Yeah , you wanted me to do it the right way and so from there , while I was an undergrad , I really took the time to really study music and all of its entities and what it all entailed in terms of the craftsmanship of everything . It was very important to learn the craftsmanship and the beauty of the instrument and the beauty of music . You know , during that time , you know most artists and musicians , they don't want to do that , they want to get to the fast track or the glitz and the glam . But I had to really take those years to develop the craftsmanship so that I can be who I am today .

Speaker 3 10:35

Amazing you and all that hard work just really paid off .

Speaker 2 10:38

A lot of hard work and a lot of knowledge that went in . And then in Glasgow I went to get my master's degree , ed , from NYU , new York University , and I studied with Frank Foster , who was the conductor of the Count Basie Orchestra . I studied also jazz composition and arr studied with frank foster who was the conductor of the count basie orchestra . I studied also jazz composition and arranger with frank foster and so studying with him taught me how to arrange and in various styles of ranging , arrange like four-way , close , little technique things . And while I was there I connected with he , hezekiah Walker , the gospel artist .

Speaker 2 11:12

Well , I connected with him because I needed a church to go to . I wasn't because I was just so used to playing in church because I grew up playing in church . I didn't know any better , you know . I just knew that I need to be playing in church on a Sunday and go to school because that was that had been my path from elementary , middle and high school . And so I just knew that path and I knew that if I played in church and then went to school I would be okay .

Speaker 3 11:34

That's amazing . Something I was going to talk about is how you have blended these genres . You've blended the fusion of jazz and gospel , and I think you said something that you're the only gospel woman playing trumpet .

Speaker 2 11:48

Yeah , well , you know it's funny In gospel they say I'm a jazz , in jazz they say I'm a jazz and in jazz they say I'm gospel . But I definitely have gospel music influence in my music because that's how I was raised . I was raised in the church . I was raised in the Pentecostal church where women did not wear pants and wear a red finger apology . And look , today I have , you know , figured out how to show it . So and I , you know , and I can't deny my roots

Blending Gospel and Jazz Identity

Speaker 2 12:13

. And then my family , my mom said they're from Louisiana . So being having those musical roots in Louisiana , you just can , it's undeniable .

Speaker 3 12:23

Because I think you had said there was some connection to you and Wynton Marsalis .

Speaker 2 12:27

Yeah well , I met Wynton in 1989 . And I , matter of fact , no , in 1992 . And I walked up to him and I told him I didn't want his autograph , I wanted a trumpet lesson . And he looked at me , he said okay , and he gave me a trumpet lesson . And then when I got to New York to give him a call , I gave him a call , went up to his apartment , sat there , got another trumpet lesson , he gave me his raggedy trumpet case and it was the best thing ever for me . That's great , you know , it was the best thing ever , ever . It was the best thing ever .

Speaker 3 12:56

Have you stayed in touch at all ?

Speaker 2 12:57

Yeah , absolutely , we're always in contact with each other .

Speaker 3 13:01

You know , I'm like Sarita , I want to mention your album's winner and evolution of a winner which topped both the jazz and gospel charts . And again , we were saying that you are the only woman trumpet player in the gospel field . I know it's a personal story which you've described , and it's so interesting that you make this fusion of jazz and gospel , as you were saying . So it's something you do because it's how you were raised , it's who you are .

Speaker 2 13:27

Yep , absolutely . And what I've learned in music is that you have to be who you are . Yep , absolutely . You know , and what I've learned in music is that you know you have to be who you are and I've had to learn to embrace my musicality . I am a classical trained trumpet player , but also I'm a jazz trained trumpet player with gospel music roots , and that's that's who I am . And most people don't hear the classical side , but they hear mostly the jazz and the gospel side . But my classical side , because I have a very fat sound , because they're a fat sound on a trumpet , you know that's the classical side . You know even the classical side with holding long notes , the technique of the trumpet .

Speaker 3 14:01

Now you have a partnership with Berklee College of Music as well as Juilliard , which is incredible and impressive . And your self-image I was watching some of your videos or films . You know you describe yourself as a winner and your passion for mentoring others to see themselves the same way is really inspiring . Where does that mindset come from and how do you keep that energy alive amid the pressures of the industry and being a woman , which , of course , is an uphill struggle in the musician world ? Tell us a bit about that .

Speaker 2 14:33

Well , I think when you first of all , it takes time to get to know your lane and once you find out what your lane is and you're comfortable in that lane , it's about staying consistent in that lane . That's what it's about . And so , for me , I don't try to reach over and be a part of anybody else's lane . It's about staying consistent in that lane . That's what it's about . And so , for me , I don't try to reach over and be a part of anybody else's lane but mine . And so , however , if I can be a mentor and help somebody else out , then you know , definitely so be it . But for me , it's about staying in my lane and being a consistent artist , artist and musician , and being a consistent artist , artist and musician .

Speaker 3 15:13

In that video that I watched and I was actually very moved by it . I think you were

The Crystal Trumpet and Winner Mindset

Speaker 3 15:17

talking kind of to the people you mentor , to children , and you want them to see themselves as a winner , and I thought that was really moving , because it's just really tough out there and , you know , for a lot of young people .

Speaker 2 15:31

Yes , because if you don't see yourself as a winner , who else will ? The first winner is inside of you , and it's also a part of self-investment , and if you don't invest in yourself , whether it's for your health or your education , who else will ? So that's the winner inside of you , and winners evolve , but winners never quit .

Speaker 3 15:51

You were not a person that would ever quit . I can see that written all over .

Speaker 2 15:55

No , no , I never quit . I may get some setbacks , but I never quit .

Speaker 3 15:59

Yeah , you're very impressive . Now . Your custom trumpet encrusted with over 10,000 Swarovski crystals is more than an instrument . It's a visual statement . What inspired that bold design and how does it play into your music , your recent release and you ?

Speaker 2 16:17

Well , that design actually my mother actually helped design that because we wanted to do something the collaboration with Swarovski , where it ignited in lighting on stage . So each crystal actually one crystal is like $15 . Yeah , and it's $10,300 . Oh , my goodness . Yes , so you can do the math on that , but each crystal is more as an iridescent , and so when designing it , I had to make sure that my hand was able to get through it , was able to get through it , and that the crystals was not on it . But also it's a statement piece and I wanted that statement piece to be something that reflected who I am , and I think we achieved that .

Speaker 3 17:01

And so are you taking that on the road with you , or was it more ?

Speaker 2 17:04

My new release With you , I'm Born Again is coming out on August 15th . And Blow your Horn Making Music in a Man's World , which actually is based upon the Swarovski Crystal Trombone . Blow your Horn . So Blow your Horn is based around the Swarovski Crystal Trombone . Blow your Horn . You know things like that . So Normally when I do television when I do television is when I pull out the Swarovski crystal trumpet it's a pain to travel with , it's wonderful to have , but it could be like with this Swarovski crystal trumpet it's a blessing and a curse .

Speaker 3 17:39

And then you have to be really careful with it and it's very valuable and it's you know .

Speaker 2 17:43

Oh , absolutely . And then you know , sometimes they want to throw it around or put it underneath the plane . It's like no , this can't go underneath the plane . Then you have to take it out . Then it brings a lot of tension . You know that whole kind of a scenario it's unusual .

Speaker 3 17:55

I really want to see that is there a video of that ?

Speaker 2 17:58

no , it's not on video yet . It's not on a video yet because it hasn't been released to the marketplace yet , but I had it when we were at n . I had it on stage with me .

Speaker 3 18:06

Okay , I don't know that . I saw it , but maybe I didn't know what I was looking for . That was a great interview . Now you're not just a performer . You've written over 26 music education curriculums and are now producing Blow your Horn Making Music in a Man's World , a documentary about women in music . With everything from your music and education work to your leadership position at Lincoln Center , how has your role as an educator and advocate shaped the stories you tell , both in the classrooms ? And on stage .

Speaker 2 18:38

Being an educator is a part of most people that play an instrument the DNA , because it's the DNA of the instrument , and so it's just a part of who you are . Because people like Terrence Blanchard and Wynton have given back to me . It's my job to pay it forward , so it's a part of it . And most instrumentalists , most instrumentalists , are educators . But for me , because I believe that education is a

Educational Work and Upcoming Projects

Speaker 2 19:07

tool to success it's not the only tool , but it is a tool to success I believe that it's a very powerful tool and it's a tool that needs to be consistently exercised .

Speaker 2 19:20

For me , someone that does the work , put in the time , my philanthropic side , it's a part of , it's just a part of my DNA and I just do it . I just wear the hats . You know , when you have a passion about something , something that's a part of you , you just do it . You know I have multiple sides . I have a documentary I'm working on . I have my nonprofit , you know , which is the Lady Trumpet Organization , the Trump-related scholarship to the grammy camp and in a school that I support in louisiana . Then I also have trumpet lady enterprises , which is me as an artist , and I also just have lady trumpet records , which is a distribution through universal music group .

Speaker 3 20:01

Well , we want to put all these links . You'll let me know all the links . I want to make sure that's in the podcast notes yeah , yeah , I will .

Speaker 2 20:07

So yeah , for right now , blow your Horn is not out yet . It's currently being pitched , so that's not out in the marketplace and I'm still in production with it . I have the trailer for it and things like that . But Lady Trumpet dot org is up and Trumpet Lady Enterprises .

Speaker 3 20:27

Yes , I'm very interested in seeing that film . Now you have some upcoming shows . You've got one in New York City , harmonizing Futures , which is a music education for young girls , and another show I noticed in California , also in September .

Speaker 2 20:37

Yes , so , yes . So Harmonizing Futures is a fundraiser mixer and I hope you'll be there Definitely , and everybody else . Come on along .

Speaker 3 20:45

Yeah , harmonizing Futures , come on along .

Speaker 2 20:46

Yeah , Home and I was on future is a fundraiser mixer that I will be performing at and I will be hosting as a fundraiser mixer in support of my music education initiative and it's from 630 to 930 at Lincoln restaurant here on the iconic campus of Lincoln center for the performing arts , and this is like such a I was . It's just such a moment for me , especially that I've especially being that I grew up there musically because I was the little sister to Wynton and all of those guys sneaking into the rehearsals at the David Koch Theater and it , oh yeah , and at the Met , you know , I didn't have any money getting on the bus . So it's just , it's a , it's a full circle moment to be able to do something like that . And then September 28th I have a big listening session mixer in Los Angeles , California , and so the location will be announced very soon and I have it in two sessions and I'll be performing as well . That's exciting .

Speaker 3 21:50

And I know you're in a leadership position at Lincoln Center . You're on the board , right .

Speaker 2 21:54

Yeah , I'm on the board of the Young Patrons . And then also , too , we've just submitted for the first round of the Grammys with you and Born Again . We just submitted for the very first round and best arrangement , both instruments and vocals for the first round of the Grammy submissions , so we're very excited about that . I have a new music video with you and Born Again that's coming out with the great Tony Lindsey , the singer from Santana , and then also with the incomparable Tom Nazziola , which is a famous arranger . We went in and did a beautiful string arrangement of With you , I'm Born Again , so that all comes out on August 15th on Universal Music .

Speaker 3 22:31

And you're the female , you're the Sarita . In that I believe I'm the Sarita .

Speaker 2 22:34

I'm playing .

Speaker 3 22:35

Wait a minute , that's Sarita singing . Yes , of course .

Speaker 2 22:38

Yeah , that is me singing and playing the trumpet .

Speaker 3 22:41

There's full circle right there .

Speaker 2 22:43

Yes , there's full circle right there .

Speaker 3 22:45

I wonder if there's anything like fun or different that we don't know about you . Something I left out , something you want to mention ?

Speaker 2 22:53

Well , I'll give you a few fun facts about me that , well , most people don't know , that I love cooking , I love to bake and I love water aerobics and I'm an avid runner . That's cool , good for your health , yeah , yeah , yeah , yeah , yeah . But you know , I love cooking , I love baking . I rarely eat out at restaurants , you know , because I love to cook all my , all my food from scratch .

Speaker 3 23:20

That's good . So what's something favorite thing you like to cook ?

Speaker 2 23:23

I like to make homemade pizza .

Speaker 3 23:25

So you make it from scratch , the dough I make the dough everything from scratch , and I love to bake .

Speaker 2 23:30

I make a very mean cheesecake , strawberry cake from scratch . You know I love , yeah , cooking . It relaxes me . I've recently partnered with the Grammy Museum . I have an amazing partnership with them . There's some really wonderful things that's going to be coming out of that , and I have another release coming at 26 , when I redid the Beatles Drive my Car and so I'm looking forward to that release and I can't wait to share who's going to be the surprise special guest on that . 26 is going to be absolutely phenomenal . And I have Christmas music coming out . Christmas time is here . That'll be out in October . So I have some things working .

Speaker 3 24:16

And that's all on Universal . That's on Universal .

Speaker 2 24:19

That's all going to be on Universal . That's great . Yeah , all going to be on Universal .

Speaker 3 24:23

I feel like we'll have to do another one when all that other stuff comes out in 26 and talk about your next level of stuff .

Speaker 2 24:31

Yeah , I love it .

Speaker 3 24:32

It's really great to have you here and to get a sense of what you've been doing , and I really appreciate you joining me .

Speaker 2 24:41

Thank you so much for having me .

Episode Wrap and Credits

Speaker 3 24:44

I'd like to thank today's sponsor , heard City , the premier audio post-production company servicing the advertising , motion picture and television industries right here in NYC . I'd also like to thank Antello aka XOANN for singing the she Creates Noise theme that I wrote . Thanks for listening to she Creates Noise . If you enjoyed this episode , be sure to subscribe , rate and share . I want to thank the team here Blair Reinly , jelena Stavanovic , emily Wilson and the Master of Engineering and Grammy-winning Cooper noise . We hear her voice . She creates noise .